Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-18
BABY AND HIS TSUM6.
A Noteworthy Instance Of Iyfsntiie Res
oIution-A Iour Struggle.

From the time that he was six weeks
old his thumb was hardly ever out of his
mouth for an hour. IL was only in that
way he could drop oil TO sleep Ills in
stant response 10 u Care-s, even when
mere infant, was 10 nestle down with his
cheek against the beloved face and slip
his thumb into his mouth Many times "A
day he would seem To fall into a reyerie IL,
that position. " hat single diversion or
passion IN the complex Of hfe of an adult
could he 80 Indispensable, 50 hard to re-
inquish, a. this, the one paStime the one
employment of a baby idle hours
scores "f friends have said You must
break II up The longer YOU wait the
harder the fight will be Only one
method was ever suggested To- rs: to put
something 50 disgusting uT bitter upon the
thumb that il w,sld he uncomfortable To
him, and To persist in this treatment until
the association with the thumb was ONLY
one OF aversion, not of comfort This was
actually tried on II little kinswuman of hi
VINO bites her nails hut the soft hearted
grandsirc applying the alocs could not re
fraln from assuring her it was nice
and pretending Ia taste it. 80 she accepts
II rs treat, iicks II of and legs for more
Now assafrri,la i called for.
The week after Max Wa two Years Old
his mother, To prepare him for what
seemed the inevitable treatment. talked
with hIm long and earnestly, showing hIni
the cali"uSe'i, distorted little thumb. 50
helpless 10 resist his cruel treatment: tel
ing him THAI he was pushing his dear
little teeth also out uf place. and assuring
HIM thar II wa~ making her very unhappy.
:" completely were We under the influence.
"f at the more experienced parents of our
acquaintance that We had IL, thought of
more than momentary effect from these
words
For the next day or Two he was unac-
cOuntahiy irritable. and az night espeCiaIly
he tossed and fretIed for hour, instead of
lapSnG oil ~ once into peaceful ,lumberS
rs before. Once when his mot her stepped
in to soothe him she was greeted with an
angry Mamma. % way, Don want
mamma, Want Sick mamma" Pres
emily We realized what struggle was
being fought through From that day he
never again in his waking hours put the
thumb inside the mouth. nor ever alluded
TO II except |" -, sympathy for the poo
title 50 GnIHm \ week or 50 later,
when lie spent the day with some intimate
friends. they were astonished 10 see him
many times raise his hand with the ges-
tnre which had become involuntary, be
think himself IN season. and with an ef-
fort lower II again After few DAYS he
was a. atfecti"nate and full of delight in
life as ever, but for weeks he could fall
asleep only after long, wearisome strug-
gle. Several times ii This month Jauu-
AIRY, ls>.l We have found that long after
falling asleep, say 10 "r II in the evening.
his thumb had slipped in. Ti.is shows
how strong the habit had grown And
Yet when aroused in the effort 10 draw il
ont he repels with an indignant ''No-o-o"'
round m"Uthed and wide eyed. the charge
"f ever once returning To the old habit
Was not that successful appeal to |,
higher motive than disgust viii not Ihe
success Of that first great effort help the
growth OF he queen of all virtues Sophro-
syne-~elf COntruls-Baby hood